Film: Kraftidioten (In Order of Disappearance)

In looking for a film for tonight, I rejected two documentaries at the top of the list. That's not to say I have stopped going to documentaries - just that these didn't float my boat. One, Ballet Boys, is about three young male ballet hopefuls; the other, Letters Home (2006) is about a series of letters written by a suicidal young woman to her mother. Both showing at the ICA, if you're interested.

Instead, I went to Kraftidioten (In Order of Disappearance) - a Norwegian thriller, starring the ever reliable Stellan Skarsgard as a father who goes on a murderous revenge spree following his son's murder. The closest place it's showing is the Curzon Victoria - horrendously expensive, but close is good. I chose the early showing, and left straight from work. After an extremely sweaty Tube ride, I ploughed through the crowds at Victoria, and had to queue for a ticket - but the trailers were still showing when I got there. There were five other people at the screening, and I decided on a different seat to the one I'd chosen. Took one of the double seats at the back - plenty of room for my stuff.

This is a thriller with occasional, pitch-black, humour, set in a, well - snow-white landscape, somewhere in northern Norway. And the scenery is spectacular. I shivered, the depiction of cold is so effective - it's all howling winds, snowdrifts, and people wrapping up to go outside. Tough folks, up there - which must be why Stellan Skarsgard, a mild-mannered snowplough driver who's just won Citizen of the Year - transforms into Bruce Willis when provoked. They keep mentioning Fargo in relation to this, and I can see their point - inept cops, in a barren landscape, way over their heads with drug dealers - but Fargo is much more lighthearted. This, on the other hand, is extremely violent in parts. The title refers to all the people that get killed - emphasised onscreen by a black frame, with the man's name topped with a cross, or other religious symbol.

It is entertaining, but be warned about the violence.

For tomorrow night, I'm delighted to have scored a good deal on a ticket to the opening night of Verdi's Otello, showing at the Coliseum (the largest theatre in London, and home of the ENO, rather than Covent Garden, which is actually the home of the Royal Ballet!) I was dithering, until I watched the trailer and was won over by the spectacular music. LoveTheatre (via UkTheatreTickets) turned out to be the best value I could find.. cheapest on the official website were £30, Viagogo advertised tickets for about £21, which rose to over £25 by the time booking fees were applied (and I had a bad experience before with them anyway), and What'sOnStage would have given me one for £23.99. But LoveTheatre obligingly sold me one for £23.40, no booking fees, my experience with them has always been excellent.. and what's more, for that, I get a seat in the Upper Circle, one level lower than the balcony, where I've always been before! Result! It's worth it for not having to climb so many stairs, alone.. the Coliseum is terrible for them!

Remember how ShowFilmFirst sent me an email with offers of free tickets to six events? Well, I didn't just book last night's event - I also booked a ticket with them for a concert called Cabaret Songs on Saturday. Can't seem to find any information on it now - shall just have to rock up and see what the story is..